Tony Annese of Rochester Adams HS (Mich.) committed to Central Michigan this week, becoming the 11th commit for the Chippewas in the Class of 2012.

Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan were the only two offers for Annese, but there was also a lot of interest from several schools in the midwest, including Northwestern, Iowa, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Michigan State, Bowling Green, Toledo and Indiana.

"Central Michigan was always at the top of my list, so it wasn't that hard of a decision. I really like the coaching staff and my uncle played there, so I have some family connections. It was a pretty easy decision actually."

The Chippewa coaching staff that helped to draw Annese to Mount Pleasant was as happy as you would expect them to be when Annese told them that he would be committing to CMU.

"They were really excited. They're really happy to have me. They think I can make an immediate impact. They were just really excited and so was I."

The schools that have been recruiting the Rochester native were split when it came to what side of the ball they wanted him to play on in college. At CMU, Annese will play on defense as a safety and possibly an outside linebacker.

"Right from the beginning, they saw my highlight tape and they thought I could make an impact on defense. With my ability to come up and make hits, they think I can be a good fit. They like my versatility as well. I have played defense my whole life and I like playing defense, so I'm more than okay with it."

Annese visited Central Michigan this past year for their Junior Day and has been keeping in touch with the coaching staff since then. Along with the relationship with the coaching staff, there were several other reasons why he decided to become a Chippewa.

"I wanted to go to Central because I can make the most impact at safety because of my speed and strength. I really like the coaching staff, the facilities, the education, the area (it's close to home). Everything they have to offer really. With all those reasons, it was a pretty easy decision to make."

There will be no more camps or visits for Annese as he turns his focus to his senior season and his high school team. He has said in the past that he wanted to make a commitment before his senior season and he is happy that he was able to do so.

"I think it was really important to get that decision out of the way. Now I can make a commitment to my team and to making a deep run into the playoffs. So I think it was important. I'm just going to focus on my team. Now that I've committed, the college stuff is pretty much over with for right now. I'm focused on playing high school football right now."

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